MWC Barcelona 2019 – what we learned

Another year, another MWC Barcelona. As the vibrant city winds down after the whirlwind of over 100,000 visitors, we’ve been reflecting on what we learned at the show.

Here’s a flavor of our key takeaways:

The movement towards our foldable future has begun

The foldable smartphone gave gadget lovers plenty to talk about over the opening weekend. It’s hard to overstate the splash the Huwaei Mate X made with its launch at the conference. This phone-tablet hybrid was the talk of the show thanks to its polished, uber-thin design and stunning display. At a price of €2,299 and with a release date of around June, the premium device gives us a real and eye-catching glimpse into our foldable phone future.

Did 5G live up to the promises?

MWC Barcelona 2019 previewed many of the hottest mobile trends, but 5G was the most anticipated. For years, the technology has had more promise than actual use cases, but execs announced it would debut this year, with wider adoption in 2020 and beyond.

ZTE programmed a band of industrial robots to play the piano and drums to show how the ultrafast networks can be used by heavy machinery. And Cisco Systems announced that 5G was ready for prime time, and would enable new applications in AI, health care and industrial factories.

5G smartphones that impressed us include the foldable Huawei Mate X, the Mi MIX 3 by Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, and the V50 ThinQ by LG.

The eSIM revolution

Despite the hype around 5G, many believe eSIM technology will deliver greater impact to the telecoms industry and content providers in 2019.

The eSIM revolution is among us and it was great to see its wide appeal at the show, and hear brands and consumers buzzing about the advantages it brings.

We lost count of the number of people who stopped by our booth to chat to our experts about ‘everything eSIM’ and learn all about Turning Things On, as well as our view on how the eSIM is paving the way for connecting the vast array of smart devices out there.

The future of IoT

As the number of connected devices and industrial machines grow rapidly, the IoT ecosystem is set to evolve to become a trillion-dollar market over the next decade. This rapid growth stresses the importance of keeping it secure and ready for the future. Future-proofing will be crucial in the years to come.

Get involved!

What excites you most from our key takeaways from this year’s big show? What other trends that caught your eye? Share your thoughts in the comments section below, or you can tweet us at @GemaltoMobile.